Animal enclosures such as cages are generally intended to keep multiple animals enclosed as safely and effectively as possible. In many environments, such as kennels and animal boarding environments, multiple animal enclosures may be organized next to each other (e.g., configured in rows). It is usually desirable to periodically let an animal out of its enclosure to play or exercise in a larger common area that may be accessible by multiple animal enclosures. It is also desirable to control which animal or animals can have access to the common area at any one time. For example, there may be two animals that socialize well and can access the common area at the same time but a third animal that does not socialize well with the other two. It would be desirable to allow one or both of the animals that socialize well to have access to the common area during one time period, while the third animal is kept in its enclosure; and only allow the third animal to have access to the common area when the other two animals are in their enclosures. Enclosure doors can be opened and closed to allow and block access between the individual enclosures and the common area.
For various reasons, it may also be desirable to open and close the enclosure doors without exposing the caregiver to the animal. Thus it would be desirable to open and close the enclosure doors without having to be in the enclosure or in the common area that are connected through the enclosure door.
At times, and animal may try to lift a partially or fully closed enclosure door, or try to block an enclosure door while it is closing and lift the enclosure door using its paws or snout. It would be desirable to have the enclosure door resist lifting of the enclosure door from the bottom by an animal while still allowing opening and closing of the enclosure door by the caregiver. This can be very important for a facility that handles aggressive animals.
In addition, many kennels are laid out with two runs connected by a common door. During low-volume periods the common door can be raised and one animal can have access to both runs. Sometimes however, the shelters need to put an animal in both runs and close the common door in order to meet capacity. These can be critical situations because some animals, for example dogs, can be aggressive and try to get at the neighboring animal by lifting up the common door. The same is true in pet resorts: in low-volume periods one animal can be given access to both runs but during peak demand the common door can be closed in order to create two runs.
The self-locking enclosure door disclosed herein can enable a caregiver to open and close enclosure doors without having to be in the enclosure or in an area that the animal has access to through the enclosure door, and can also resist lifting of the enclosure door from the bottom by the animal.